The Beaker Report

This week Caleb and Steve start the show with a discussion of time and why it is not a base ten system like the metric system. They touch on whether or not we need daylight savings time or not. They also talk about their love for Wikipedia and how great it is to have a resource like that. Caleb touches on how being in the military has benefited him as a graduate student and shares some fantastic sayings he picked up as well. One of them being, "embrace the suck". The guys discuss how life never gets easy and you have to embrace the struggles you have. They also have a brief discussion of simulation theory.

Finally, Steve talks about how strange the perception of time is in that it can change in different circumstances. They talk about how fascinating it is that there are chemicals that can alter your perception of time (i.e. psychedelics). They talk about how psychedelic trips must be similar to what happens when you are dreaming. Steve describes how plants evolve proteins that cause interesting things to happen in humans and what is the difference between a drug and a toxin. Listen to this and much more this week on The Beaker Report!

Feeling slightly buzzed from a lab meeting at the Pub, Steve starts this episode by explaining the strike that is going on at Wright State University. Steve and Caleb discuss how the strike is affecting the students at the university and how it impacts Steve's research. Then they get into teaching and what is the best way to organize labs so that students get the most out of them. Steve proposes some different ideas for how labs could be taught so that students are actually interested in the work they do in the lab. Steve is teaching an exercise physiology lab this semester and as a result, he has been thinking about obesity in America. The guys go over the horrifying statistics of obesity in the country and some of the causes of it. Caleb tells us about his dislike of standing in lines. Finally, Steve plays a song that his band has been learning and this leads to a discussion of rock radio stations and how the music they play has changed over time.

Show Music: Bad Company - Burnin Sky

This week Zach Jeckering, the founder of Hooligans Tribe, joins Steve and Caleb on the podcast. This episode was recorded on a late Saturday night and the guys had been drinking. The show went all over the place ranging from flat Earth to Moon landings. However, amazingly they ended up discussing quite a bit of science. Steve and Caleb taught Zach about Tardigrades. Also, Steve and Caleb got caught up on each other's research. If you are looking for a fun episode this one is for you.

Thanks again to Zach Jeckering for being The Beaker Report's first reoccurring guest as well as the first sponsor. The Hooligans Tribe is a local streetwear brand. Zach makes some really sick bags and clothes. Go get your swag at www.hooliganstribe.com.

Show Music: The Black Keys - Ain't Nothing Like You

This week the guys are back together. Caleb was in Seattle for a week working with collaborators at the University of Washington's applied physiology laboratory. Caleb recapped some of the work he did while he was away. He also talked about how he is staying up late because of the jet lag. Steve admits that he stayed up late recently watching video game streaming on YouTube, which leads to a discussion of how different video games are now from when the guys were young due to the addition of the internet.

Eventually, the guys get begin talking about the weather due to all the snowfall that Ohio got this week. Like scientists tend to do the conversation divulged into a discussion on global warming. Caleb references a scientist that does some research in Antarctica named Peter Doran. One of his papers on climate change was taken by many right-wing climate deniers as evidence that climate change is not real even though they didn't fully understand the details of the paper. Check out this link for a video on him.

Finally, the guys finish up with some updates on what's been happening in the lab and Steve talks about what happened with his big Eureka moment. They also talk about what they have planned for the semester now that school is back in session. Check out the show for much more!

The Beaker Report is back from the holidays with another great episode. With Caleb out of town, Steve had to bring on a guest. This week Ryan Rakoczy joins Steve to talk about his research and what he does as a Ph.D. student at Wright State University. Ryan works in a respiratory physiology lab where he studies the control of breathing. He studies small structures in the neck called carotid bodies. These structures sense changes in blood oxygen, pressure, and carbon dioxide which aids in the control of breathing. This episode is filled with random science tidbits and helpful information on how to get ahead of the game for those interested in working in a science related field one day. But don't worry, Steve and Ryan had plenty to drink during the course of this episode so it takes some pretty interesting and funny turns along the way. Take a listen!

Show music: The Black Crowes - Kickin' My Heart Around

On this episode Steve and Caleb start by explaining how nice it is to be on winter break. They then jump straight into talking about research. This time they discuss how easy it is to get sucked into a research rabbit hole. They also touch on how to sift through the mountains of papers out there. They talk about how every job has aspects you don't like and how to stay focused on the parts you do like. Eventually they get into a deep discussion on consciousness and memories. This is a fun podcast and eventually the guys wish everyone a great holiday. They end the show with some advice on some things to know before starting college. Take a listen.

The semester is officially over and Steve and Caleb are pumped! Steve recaps his incredible night at the lab and describes how it feels to have a eureka moment in the lab. He talks about his struggles with some of his new equipment and overcoming some failures to get to the point of collecting great data. Steve explains what it is to get "scooped" in science. Then the guys discuss some of Steve's findings and how it might lead to some clinical research with actual patients and hopefully a future treatment for the symptoms of the disease.

Next, the guys shift back to discuss the concept of the Gaia hypothesis. Steve spent some time learning about the concept since the previous episode of the podcast and Caleb finds out whether or not Steve is now a believer. This leads to a fantastic discussion about some of the challenges of shifting totally to renewable energy. Steve talks about his new appreciation for nuclear energy and some of the misconceptions people have about it. Take a listen you won't regret it.

Show Music: When My Train Pulls In (Live) - Garry Clark Jr.

Its finals week and Caleb and Steve are finally done with their grading for the semester. The guys talk about what they have going on for the last week of the semester. Steve's plan for the spring is to study for the MCAT and he talks a little about his study plans. Caleb has a prelim coming up so he plans to study up on snow ecology.

Next, they begin talking about how working in the lab helps you understand research papers easier. Steve tells Caleb about some of the papers he's been reading and critiques some of their experimental methods. Steve also explains a fascinating technique known as a skinned muscle fiber experiment. They also discuss the importance of being skeptical when reading papers. Steve talks about a paper he is reading that is full of mistakes.

Steve then tells about his current struggles in the lab with his neuromuscular transmission recordings. He has been having long and frustrating days but he hopes that he can be a good example of the necessity of perseverance in science.

Caleb rounds up the episode by talking about his new mathematical modeling endeavors. Then he introduced the Gaia hypothesis, which is an interesting take on how the life on Earth works in harmony to maintain the conditions necessary for life on Earth. In its early days, it was controversial but has been much more widely accepted lately. It was proposed by James Lovelock when he was working for NASA.

As the fall semester comes to an end Steve and Caleb update each other on some potential successful experiments in the lab and recap their Thanksgiving Break. Steve speaks of just how important it can be to take some time off from the lab. Then, the guys discuss some methods for teaching and some difficulties of teaching.

Next, Caleb details what a PhD Candidacy exam is and as usual the guys take a couple left turns and end up talking about some general life strategies such as working harder than everyone else. This leads Steve to talk about a recent podcast series he listened to. The podcast tells the terrifying story of a neurosurgeon, Dr. Chirstophe Duntsch (AKA Dr. Death), who took that strategy to the extreme resulting in a nightmare.

Finally, the guys update the #noslacknovemeber goals, and get back into the routine with a heavy dose of science this episode!

This week on the podcast the guys talk to Mykee Chanchu ( @nintupak ). Mykee works as a lab technician at the Carnegie Institution for Science in Baltimore Maryland. His lab uses zebra fish � to study neuronal identity. Mykee tells us about his path to becoming a scientist and some possibilities other than academia for those interested in science.

This episode is full of science. Mykee teaches us about CRISPR and how he uses it in his lab. He also talks about a part of the brain known as the Habenula and some of the techniques his lab uses to study its function. Be sure to have your Google ready for this one.